IBM and Taiwan Mold and Die Industry Association Announce Opening of Mold and Die Training Center

New center to use PLM software developed by Dassault Systèmes in training of Taiwan’s mold and die industry professionals

Taipei, Taiwan, and Paris, France – May 25, 2004 – IBM and the Taiwan Mold and Die Industry Association (TMDIA) today announced the opening of Taiwan’s first Mold and Die Training Center. The Center will incorporate IBM Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions developed by Dassault Systèmes (Nasdaq: DASTY; Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) in its training.

Created to enhance the skills of Taiwan’s mold and die industry professionals, the center will use CATIA V5, which will enable the center’s trainees to design mold and die in a virtual 3D product development environment. SMARTEAM will enable trainees to efficiently reuse their product data and automate business processes in a collaborative Web-based environment. CATAC Integration Inc., an IBM Business Partner and Dassault Systèmes Education Partner, will provide instructors for the center.

The Mold and Die Training Center, located in Taipei’s Neihu Industrial Park, will provide skills training for mold and die trainees, as well as offering a certification program and job-placement assistance. Taiwan’s government is providing financial support for the center.

“We are excited to celebrate the opening of the Mold and Die Training center, which represents the culmination of our work with IBM and Dassault Systèmes,” said Chen Hsing-Shih, president, TMDIA. “We believe that the PLM Solutions from IBM and Dassault Systèmes will deliver a solid foundation for our training activities.”

“With production in Taiwan’s mold and die industry having totaled NT$50.6 billion in 2003 and predicted to increase by more than 10% per year, IBM sees the Mold and Die Training Center as a critical resource for achieving the long-term goal of making Taiwan a leading mold and die skills center in the Asia Pacific region,” said Raoul van Engelshoven, vice president, IBM Product Lifecycle Management, Asia Pacific.

“We see Taiwan as a significant emerging force in the worldwide mold and die industry,” said Francis Bernard, advisor to the president, Dassault Systèmes. “CATIA V5 and SMARTEAM will enable the center’s students to receive the most current and thorough training possible. Furthermore, our solutions will facilitate collaboration between the Taiwanese mold and die industry and the worldwide mechanical industry, which has massively adopted our solution. We are proud to play a key role as solutions provider for this important and state-of-the-art facility.”<b/>